Vending machine



Nov. 28, 1950 C, w ||A| 2,532,062

VENDING MACHINE Filed April lO, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVEN TOR.

4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Nov. 28, 1950 c. w. HALL VENDING MACHINE Filed April 10, 1945 C. W. HALL VENDING MACHINE Nov. 28, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet I5 Filed April l0, 1945 75 N VEN TOR. @de //HQ/A Jail C. W. HALL VENDNG MACHINE Nov. 28, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed April 10, 1945 www Patented Nov. 28, 1950 VENDING MACHINE Clyde W. Hall, Chicago, Ill., assignor, by mesne assignments, to F. H. Knowles Application April 10, 1945, Serial No. 587,574

8 Claims.

This invention relates to an article vending machine of the manually actuated, coin controlled type, for delivering, in response to each operation, a unit number of articles, usually one, such as by Way of illustration and not limitation, a bottle of beverage. The present invention is adapted to machines of the general type having an endless conveyor, provided with a plurality of uniformly spaced apart article engaging elements for impelling articles to a discharge station disposed along the path of travel of the conveyor, and wherein the machine may be ar ranged for vending a single kind of article, or may be constructed for selectively vending a plurality of different kinds or character of articles, such as several diiierent flavors of bottled beverage.

One of the objects oi this invention is to provide a novel and improved manually actuated mechanism for coin controlled article vending machines of the character indicated, and wherein said mechanism is constructed and arranged to maintain an exact indexed relation to the conveyor for dispensing a unit number of articles incident to each operation.

Another object is to provide an improved actuating mechanism for coin controlledlvending machines of the character indicated, wherein said mechanism is constructed and arranged to preclude creepingr of the conveyor due to manipulation of the manual operating lever when no coin has been inserted into the machine.

A further object is to provide an improved actuating mechanism for a vending machine of the character indicated, comprising means adapted to be moved into driving relation with the chain of the Yconveyor incident to movement of a manually operated member through an initial portion of an operating stroke, and adapted to move the conveyor chain an amount equivalent to the spacing of the article engaging elements upon completion of the operating stroke, and adapted to be disengaged from the conveyor chain immediately upon commencement of the return stroke of the operating member.

Still another object is to provide a unitary, self-contained assembly adapted to'be removably mounted in a vending machine casing and comprising a frame structure, a conveyor and coin controlled manually actuated mechanism for moving the conveyor a stepped amount to dispense an article or unit number of articles each time said mechanism is operated incident to the insertion of a coin.

Still another object is to provide an improved Vending machine characterized by the provision of a casing and a plurality of independent, unitary, self-contained, individually operated assemblies adapted to be removably mounted in the casing so as to permit quick and easy removal for repair or replacement of an assembly without interfering with the operation of the other unitary assemblies.

A still further object is to provide a novel and improved coin controlled mechanism for a vending machine of the character indicated which is simple in construction, durable in use and which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

With these and other objects in View my invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of my device whereby the objects contemplated are attained as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims and illustrated in the accompanying darwings, in which:

Figure l is a tcp view ci a vending machine provided with a plurality of independent, unitary assemblies embodying the present invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged, vertical, sectional View at the forward end of one of the unitary assemblies and showing my novel coin controlled mechanism, and taken substantially as indicated at line 2 2 on Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged, horizontal sectional view taken substantially as indicated at line 3-3 on Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an enlarged view similar to Figure 2 and showing the coin controlled mechanism in a condition of adjustment after completion of the operating stroke for eliecting dispensing of an article from the conveyor;

Figure 5 is a horizontal, sectional view somewhat similar to Figure 3 showing the parts of the mechanism in a position of adjustment corresponding to Figure 4, and taken substantially as indicated at line 5 5 on Figure 4,;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary plan view of a portion of the conveyor chain and indexing and driving means, corresponding to a position assumed when the manually operated lever has been moved through an initial portion of its operating stroke; I

Figure 7 is a vertical, sectional view through the forward end of the unitary assembly, and taken substantially as indicated at line 1 1 on Figure 3;

Figure 8 is a perspective view of a unitary assembly including a frame, a conveyor and coin controlled mechanism and embodying the present invention;

Figure 9 is a perspective view of the conveyor chain indexing and driving means, including a carrier and movable pawl assembly; and

Figure 10 is a side elevational View of the carrier and pawl assembly.

The vending machine represented in the drawings is constructed to operate in a manner which may be termed semi-automatic, and depends partly upon manual operation by the purchaser to cause delivery of the article purchased from the conveyor to a discharge station, and the completion or the delivery being dependent upon the actionof gravity.

As represented in the drawings, the machine includes a housing or casing l, which, dependent upon the nature of the articles to be dispensed, may or may not include insulated walls. If the commodity being vended requires storage in a refrigerated condition, the cabinet obviously is provided with insulated walls' and suitable refrigerating apparatus would be associated therewith. As may be seen in Figure l of the drawings, the casing is dimensioned and arranged for accommodating therein three separate selfcontained, unitary assemblies as indicated at A, B and C, respectively, and it is to be understood that these unitary assemblies are identical in size, construction and operation. Said assemblies are adapted to be individually and removably mounted in the cabinet I6, preferably in side by side relation for compactness of arrangement. Said assemblies are adapted to be supported upon transversely extending members il, I2 and i3 in said casing lil, to which said assemblies may be secured, such as by means of bolts or screws. The forward portion of each of the assmblies includes an upright frame member I4, the lower end of which is provided with` a notch l for seating upon a suitably formed member located on the inner surface of the front Wall of the casing le for properly positioning each of said assemblies with respect to separate coin operated mechanisms indicated generally at i6, mounted on the front wall of the casing, in alignment with the respective unitary assemblies. It is to be understood that the coin mechanisms IE which do not constitute a direct part or the present invention, are of conventional form, not shown herein in detail, constructed and arranged with usual means for selecting coins of a proper de nomination from other coins and from slugs.

The casing it] is provided with a top 2D, which serves as a closure for the upper end of the casing and covers all three of the unitary assemblies. It is to be understood that suitable latch means, preferably lock controlled, is associated with the cover and the casing to preclude unauthorized access to the articles in the rspective unitary assemblies.

Each of the unitary self-contained assemblies includes an upright, elongated U-shaped sheet metal frame member 25, rigidly mounted at its rear end on a horizontal plate 26, and rigidly secured at its forward end to a horizontally disposed base member 21. Disposed centrally with in the 1-shape member 25 is a partition plate 28, rigidly mounted at opposite ends on the plate 2S and base 2l', respectively, and serving to divide the space within the U-shape frame into two elongated passageways through which travel the respective runs of an endless conveyor. The inner surfaces of the frame member 25 and the partition plate 28 serve as guides and yconfine articles on the conveyor, as may be seen in the drawings. The endless conveyor includes an endless strand of roller chain 30, trained around a horizontally disposed driving sprocket wheel 3|, journalled on the base member 21 by means of a threaded stud shaft 32, as clearly seen in Figures 7 and 8 of the drawings. The opposite end of the chain is trained around a horizontally disposed idler sprocket wheel 34, journalled on the mounting plate 25 by a threaded stud shaft 35, similar to the stud shaft 32. The respective runs of the endless conveyor chain, intermediate the horizontally disposed sprocket wheels 3l and 3Q, are supported and guided in upwardly facing U-shaped channels 3l, rigidly attached at opposite ends to the rear plate 26 and base 21.

Extending upwardly from the chain 30 are a plurality of uniformly spaced apart, article engaging elements 39 in the form of pins, as clearly seen in Figure 4 0f the drawings, which serve to space articles such as bottles, as indicated at 10, uniformly along the chain, and serve to impel the bottles by means of coin controlled, manually operated mechanism hereinafter described. The manually operated mechanism is adapted to be actuated after the feeding of a coin thereto rom'the coin mechanism i6, for advancing the conveyor a stepped amount, equal to thespacing of the pins 39 of the conveyor chain. By such movement of the conveyor the bottles 40 are advanced with the conveyor, so as to feed a bottle from the position indicated in dot and dash outline at 40a to the dot and dash position indicated at Sb in Figure 3 of the drawings, 01' slightly beyond the latter position, at which position the bottle is caused to drop by gravity at the discharge station indicated generally at D. The discharge station includes an opening 42 surrounded by a curved upright wall d3 at the forward end, so that the bottle is caused to drop by gravity through the opening d2, and is caused to move by gravity in a downward direction through a chute to the trough-like dispensing station, as indicated at @A at the front end of the machine, where the bottle is then accessible to the purchaser. Suitable means, not shown, may be provided at said discharge station for yieldingly engaging the bottle as it discharges from the conveyor chain. When the vending machine is utilized for dispensing refrigerated articles, a suitable form of normally closed trap door construction may be associated with the opening d2, and said door being caused to be opened by the weight of the bottle as it is dislodged from the conveyor chain at the discharge I vided with a vertical, elongated slot, or opening 45, (Figure 2) to provide clearance for the passage of the upstanding pins 39 as they travel with the conveyor chain around the driving sprocket wheel 3| from the dispensing run of the conveyor t0 the storage run thereof. It will be noted that at the opposite or rear end of the assembly, the partition member 28 terminates in spaced apart relation to the end of the upright frame 25, so as to permit free unobstructed passage of the chains and their upstanding pins 39 together with bottles d!) carried thereon, while moving from the storage run to the dispensing run of the conveyor.

The coin controlled, manually actuated mechanism above referred to comprises a main operating lever 59, pivotally mounted at 5l on a bracket 52, rigidly attached, as by welding, to the upright frame member I4. Mounted against the inner surface of the bracket member 52, as may be seen in Figures 2 and 3 of the drawings, is a ratchet segment 5e having at one end a laterally projecting lug 55 serving as a stop to limit the rearward movement of the operating lever 5D. Pivotally mounted at 5l on the operating lever is a ratchet dog 58, normally yieldingly maintained in the aligned position, as seen in Figure 2 of the drawings by means of a coil spring 59 attached to the upper end of the lever 5D. The ratchet segment is provided with a multiplicity of teeth as indicated at 6l and the rear end thereof has a portion, as indicated at 63, of reduced dimensions to provide clearance for the ratchet dog 58 and by virtue of which said operating lever is free to move an angular amount, corresponding to the angular extent of said portion 63, before said dog 58 is caused to engage the teeth 6l of the segment. It will be understood that as the lever moves forwardly from the position seen in Figure 2, the dog 5i! engages the teeth in a manner so as to preclude backward movement ofthe lever and thus insures that the lever may only move forwardly to complete ratcheting action over the entire series of teeth el. At the forward end of the toothed portion of the segment member 5e is a clearancce opening 65 into which the dog moves when the lever 5!) arrives at the forward limit of its operating stroke, at which position the dog 58 is permitted to again assume the aligned relation with respect to the lever as seen in Figure 2. Thus upon rearward movement of the operating lever, the dog 58 operates in a reverse direction with respect to the teeth Si so as to preclude forward movement of the operating lever during an intermediate portion of the return stroke thereof, and thus insures that said lever must move through its entire return stroke after such stroke has been commenced. To assist in returning the lever iito its normal, inoperative position in abutting relation to lug h5, l provide a coil Spring E8, connected at one end to said lever and the opposite end being connected to the U-shape frame member 25, as may be seen in the drawings. The small amount of free movement of the operating lever 5S in a forward and rearward direction without the insertion of a coin into the mechanism, by reason of the clearance portion S3 of the rack segment, provides a lost motion connection, which has an important function, as will hereinafter be particularly pointed out. For convenience in operating the lever 5d, I provide a rod '18, pivotally connected at its rear end to the upper end of the lever 5S, with the forward end of the rod projecting through the front wall of the frame member i4 and through the outer wall of the cabinet iii, and provided at its outer end with a hand engaging knob 12. t is to be understood that when the wall of the cabinet is constructed in insulated form, the rod 'l is of somewhat greater length for accommodating the additional thickness of the wall.

Pivotally mounted at 'l5 on the bracket member 52 is a vertically extending coin receiving receptacle 'it of U-shape in cross section as may be seen in Figure 3 of the drawings, have ing an arcuate guide plate Vi positioned therein in fixed relation to the walls of said receptacle so as to define a guide slot 17a for receiving a coin in edgewise relation, as indicated in dotted outline at E in Figure 2 of the drawings. Coni nected rigidly to the outer wall of the coin receptacle 'i6 is an upwardly extending lever arm "i8, the upper end of which is formed with a vertically extending elongated slot 'iii in which is seated a laterally extending leg Se of a control member 8l, rigidly attached to a locking arm 83, which is pivotally mounted at 8&5 in a U- shape bracket 65 attached to the front portion of the upright frame member i4. The rear end of the locking arm is notched to provide a supporting surface Si, and abutting surface 38 which cooperates with a locking stop EN! of modified L-shaped formation, rigidly mounted on the outer surface of the operating lever 54B. The upper end of the lock stop is adapted to be engaged by the supporting surface 8l of the free end of the locking arm 33 and the inner upright surface 9| is adapted to cooperate with the abutting surface 8S of said locking arm. As may be noted in Figure 2, the cooperating surfaces 88 of the locking arm and 9| of the lock stop are spaced apart a short distance to provide a lost motion connection, as above referred to, and which permits a limited amount of 'forward movement of the operating lever E5, and when said surfaces 8S and 9i are in abutting relation the lever is arrested at a position with the ratchet dog 52"-, still in alignment with the clearance portion G53 of the segment rack 54, lout of engagement with the teeth 6l.

Rigidly connected to the lower end of the operatinglever 50 is av forwardly and slightly upwardly inclined member extending below the coin guideway 11a, of the coin receptacle '16. Said member 95 is provided with an abutment shoulder 96 adapted to cooperate with coin E when in place in the coin guideway 11a for eifecting a rocking movement of the locking arm 83 out of blocking relation to the lock stop 90, as clearly seen in dot and dash outline in Figure 4 of the drawings. It is to be understood that the member 95 is dimensioned and so related to the i lower end of the coin receptacle 16 as to be out of engagement therewith during the lost motion movement of the operating lever .150 as above described. When a coin E is in position in the guideway 11a., resting on the member 95, and said operating lever is actuated by an outward pull of the rod 76, the above referred to lost motion movement of the operating lever, or which may be termed the initial portion of the operating stroke of saidlever, causes the abutment shoulder y96 of the member -95 to engage the coin E. Further or continued movement of the lever 50 through its entire operating stroke is permitted because the movement of said abutment shoulder is then transmitted through the coin to cause the receptacle 16 and the lever arm 18 to swing about the pivot 'l5 and thereby transmit movement through the member 8l for raising the locking arm 83 tothe dot and dash position indicated in Figure 4 of the drawings, out of blocking relation to the lock Stop y90. The action of the mechanism is such that when a coin of proper denomination is fed from the coin mechanism I6, it immediately passes through an opening indicated at I4a, in the front wall of the frame member I4, and is directed into the guideway 11a, and said operating lever 50, through the medium of the rod 1U, may be continuously moved through its entire operating stroke from the position seen in Figure 2 of the drawings to the position seen in Figure 4 of the drawings, for dispensing an article or unit of articles by actuation of theconveyor as will be presently described. During such movement the coin is permitted to move through the guideway 11a, and drop off of the member 05 into a suitable cash box (not shown) positioned therebelow.

Pivotally connected at to the lower end of the operating lever 50 is a link |0|, the rear end oi which is pivotally connected at |02 to a lug |83 attached to a carrier indicated generally at |04. The carrier is adapted to be reciprocably moved in close relation to the strand of the roller chain 30 on the storage run side of the conveyor, as may be seen in the drawings, incident to the movement -of the operating lever through its operating and return strokes. The carrier is composed of two elongated members |05 and |06 mounted one on top of the other and interconnected together for lost motion movement by pins |08, |09 and ||0 projecting upwardly from the bottom carrier member |06 into elongated slots ||2 and ||3, respectively, in the top carrier member |05. By virtue of said connection of the two members, the top member |05 is capable of having a limited amount of longitudinal movement with respect to the carrier member |06. As may be seen in Figure 9 of the drawings, the lug |03 to which the link member |0| is pivotally attached is rigidly connected to the upper carrier member |05. Mounted iiatly against the upper surface of the top carrier member |05 is a pawl ||5 pivotally mounted with respectto said member |05 by the head of the pin |09. Projecting upwardly from the upper carrier member |05 is a pin extending through an elongated slot HS in said pawl and by virtue of which said pawl -is caused to pivot about the axis of the pin |90 incident to longitudinal movement of lthe carrier member H35 relative to the carrier member |05. Said pawl includes a pair of laterally projecting teeth joined by a socket portion |2| and formed for embracing engagement of a roller of the conveyor chain 30.

The carrier is guided during its limited reciprocable movement by means of a pair of g-uide- Iways |22 formed in the opposite marginal edges f.-

thereof of the member |05 seated in `cooperating relation on tracks |23 and |24, as may be seen in Figure 7 of the drawings. The track |23 is formed by an inturned flange of the base member 21 and the track member |24 is rigidly at- A tached to the base member 2l as may be seen kin the drawings. The portion of said conveyor chain, through the range of movement of the carrier, and beyond the end of guide support 31,

is guided and supported by an upstanding leg of an angle iron guide element |25.

Normally in the inoperative position of the coin control mechanism, the pawl l5 assumes ythe position as seen in Figures 2 and 3 `of the drawings, and when movement is imparted through link member |0| to rst eiTect relative movement of the upper carrier member H35 with respect to carrier member |66, said pawl is moved laterally in an inward direction as seen in Figures 6 and 9, into engagement with the roller oonveyorchain .30. To limit such inward movement of the pawl, said pawl is provided with a downwardly extending lug |28 adapted =to engage an abutting -surface |23 `of a notched portion of the outer edge of the upper carrier member |05.

It is to be understood that during the initial portion of movement of the operating lever the lock stop 00, motion is imparted by the operating lever through the link |0| to shift the upper carrier member |05 relatively to the lower member |06, as may be seen in Figures 6 and 9 of the drawings so as to cause the pawl |5 to move into operative engagement with the conveyor chain.

A guide track or locking rail |32 is mounted on the base 2l adjacent the supporting track |23 for the carrier, as may be clearly seen in Figures 3, 5, 6 and 7 of the drawings, for cooperative action with the lug |26 of the pawl. The locking rail has opposite ends inclined to facilitate guiding the lug in a manner to cause movement of the pawl inwardly or outwardly with respect to the conveyor chain, incident to rearward and forward movement of the carrier.

Mounted beneath the carrier is a leaf spring |34 having the outer free end arcuately formed for seating in cooperatively formed arcuate recesses |35 and |35 provided at opposite ends of the under side of the lower carrier member |36. The spring |34 tends to yieldingly maintain the carrier assembly in a restrained position at either limit of longitudinal movement of the carrier assembly, as may be clearly seen in Figures 2 and 4 of the drawings.

As the operating lever 5? moves an initial amount, within the range of lost motion movement as provided for between the locking arm and lock stop, as above described, the link |0| shifts the upper carrier member |05 longitudinally with respect to the lower carrier member |35 from the position seen in Figures 2 and 3 of the drawings, to the position seen in Figure 6 of the drawings. By virtue of such movement of the upper carrier member, the pawl l5 is moved into engagement with the roller chain of the conveyor at which position the lug |26 is positioned inwardly of the inner surface of the locking rail |32, so that upon further movement of the operating lever, which is permitted as a result of movement thereof through the balance of the operating stroke, incident to the feeding of the coin to the coin control mechanism as above described, the carrier assembly is moved longitudinally to the position seen in Figure 5 of the drawings, thereby moving the conveyor chain a stepped amount, equivalent to the spacing between a pair of adjacent upstanding pins 39 for dispensing a bottle 4E! at the discharge station D. As the carrier travels through said last mentioned movement, the pawl |I5 is confined in chain engaging position by means of the locking rail |22 so that movement of the operating lever through the balance of its operating stroke insures indexed movement of the conveyor with respect to the coin controlled mechanism. When the carrier assembly arrives at its rearward limit of movement corresponding to the limit of the operating stroke of the lever 50, the pawl is at a position with its lug |265 disposed beyond the rear end of the locking rail |32, so that upon commencement of the return stroke of the operating lever, motion is immediately transmitted through the link 0| to Iirst move the upper carrier member H rearwardly with respect to carrier member |65, thereby causing the pawl H5 to move out of engagement with the conveyor chain 35 and disposing the lug |20 outwardly beyond the locking rail |32 so that during further movement of the operating lever through its return stroke, the locking rail |32 serves to confine the lug |26 at a position to maintain the pawl ||5 out of engagement with the chain 30 o until the carrier assembly again assumes the posi; tion as seen in Figure 3 of the drawings. The spring |34 thus serves to yieldingly retain the lower carrier member in position so as to insure such relative movement of the carrier members during the initial portions of both the operating and return strokes of the lever 5l).

To limit the extent of movement of the conveyor chain an exact stepped amount each time that the lever 50 is actuated through an operating stroke, I provide an adjustable stop member M5 mounted on a depending flange portion of the base 2l in a position so as to be abutted by the lower carrier member l 06. Said stop member |45 thus serves to limit the movement of the carrier assembly in the direction corresponding to the operating stroke of the lover 50, so as to obtain exact control of and step movement of the conveyor chain for insuring proper dislodgment of an article, such as a bottle, therefrom at the discharge station D. The adjustment of the stop member [45 permitsobtaining a varia.- tion in the extent of movement of the lever 50, so that chains having elements 39 of different spacings can be utilized for accommodating articles or bottles of beverage of different sizes, while at the same time obtaining proper dislodgment of such articles from the conveyor at the discharge station.

It will therefore be apparent that, by virtue oi the construction described, it will be impossible to cause creeping of the conveyor by a series of actuations of the operating lever 5!) through the range provided by the lost motion connection between the lever and the lock stop, when no coin has been inserted into the mechanism, bef cause such movement will only result in causing the pawl H5 to move into and out of operative relation to the conveyor chain 3B. It will also be apparent that, by virtue of the construction described, it will be impossible for the conveyor to get out of indexed relation with respect to the coin control mechanism even in the event that said mechanism is rapidly actuated so as to cause a relatively fast movement of the carrier assembly for shifting the conveyor chain a stepped amount, because when the carrier assembly arrives at the end of its permissible range of movement and abuts against the stop M5, the pawl H5 is caused to remain in operative relation to the chain 3l! until the pawl is moved laterally outward as a result of the initial portion of movement of the operating lever 5!) through its return stroke.

By providing a total unitary assembly of frame structure, conveyor and coin controlled mechanism, it is possible to expeditiously and economically produce such unitary structures. Furthermore, great advantages follow as a result thereof in servicing and repairing of vending machines utilizing such unitary structures because it is possible, especially in a machine provided with a plurality of such structures, to quickly and easily remove one of the unitary structures for servings or repairing cr for total replacement by another unitary structure, if necessary, without affecting, in any manner, the usefulness and the operation oi the other unitary assemblies of the vending machine for dispensing articles in a manner as above described.

Although I have herein shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, maniestly it is capable oi modication and rearrangement of parts without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. I do not, therefore, wish to be understood as `limiting this invention to the precise form herein disclosed, except as I maybe so limited by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention: f

1. Actuating mechanism for an article vending machine of the type having a frame and an endless conveyor therein adapted to be intermittently operated for advancement one step at a time and comprising an endless chain provided with uniformly spaced apart article engaging elements for impelling said articles to an opening in the machine forming a discharge station along the path of travel of the chain, said actuating mechanism comprising a manually actuated operating lever adapted to be moved through an operating stroke and return stroke, chain engaging means operably connected to said lever 'and normally dis-` posed out of engagement with the chain when said lever is disposed at its starting position, said means being constructed and arranged to move into driving engagement with the chain of the conveyor during the initial portion of the operating stroke of said lever, and upon further movement of said lever to eiect movement of said chain an amount substantially equivalent to the distance between adjacent article engaging elements for delivering one article at the discharge station, said chain engaging means including a carrier mounted for guided reciprocating move,- ment in the frame, adjacent the chain and comprising two members interconnected for limited relative longitudinal movement, a link connecting one of said carrier members to the operating lever, and a chain engaging pawl pivotally mounted on one of said members for swinging movement lat.- erally of the carrier, means interconnecting the other of said members and said pawl to convert said relative longitudinal' movement into lateral swinging movement of said pawl so as to move said pawl laterally into or out of operative engagement with said conveyor chain; and detent means coacting with said lever during the range of said further movement thereof for precluding return movement of said lever until completion of the operating stroke.

2. Actuating mechanism for an article vending machine of the type having a frame .and an endless conveyor therein adapted to be intermittently operated for advancement one step at a time and comprising an endless chain provided with uniformly spaced apart article engaging elements for impelling said articles to an opening in the machine forming a discharge station along the path of travel of the chain, said actuating mechanism comprising a manually actuated operating lever adapted-to be moved through an operating stroke and return stroke; chain engagingmeans operably connected to said lever and normally disposed out of engagement with the chain when said lever is disposed at its starting position, said means being constructed and arranged to move into driving engagement with the chain of the conveyor during the initial portion of the operating stroke of said lever, and upon further movement of said lever to effect `move,- ment of said chain an amount substantially equivalent to the distance between adjacent article engaging elements for delivering one article at the discharge. station, said chain engaging means including a carrier mounted for guided reciprocating movement in the frame, adjacent the chain and comprising two members interconnected for limited relative longitudinal movement, a link connecting one of said carrier members to the operating lever, and a chain engaging pawl pivotally mounted on one of said members for swinging movementv laterally of the carrier, means interconnecting the other of said members and Said pawl to convert said relative longitudinal movement into lateral swinging movement. of said pawl so as to move said pawl laterally into or out of operative engagement with said conveyor chain; stop means on the frame positioned to be engaged by said carrier for limiting the movement thereof incident to movement by said lever through its operating stroke, and thereby limiting the step. movement of the conveyor in indexed relation to the discharge station for dispensing an article at saidl discharge station; and detent meansy coacting with said lever during the range of said further movement thereof for precluding return movement of said lever until completion of the operating strokel 3. Actuating mechanism for an article vending machine of the type having a frame and an endless conveyor therein adapted to be intermittently operated for advancement one step at a time and comprising an endless chain provided with uniformly spaced apart article engaging elements for impelling said articles to an opening in the machine forming a discharge station along the path of travel of the chain, said actuating mechanism comprising a manually actuated operating lever adapted to be moved through an operating` stroke and return stroke, chain engaging means operably connected tosaid lever and normally disposed out of engagement with the chain when said lever is disposed at its. starting position, said means being constructed and arranged to move into driving engagement with the chain of the conveyor during the initial portion of the operating stroke of said lever, and upon further movement of said lever to effect movement of said chain an amount substantially equivalent` tothe distance between adjacent article engaging elements for delivering one article at the discharge station, said chain engaging means including a carrier mounted for guided reciprocating movement in the frame, adjacent the chain and comprising two members interconnected for limited relative longitudinal movement, a link connecting one of said carrier members to the operating lever, and a chain engaging pawl pivotally mounted on one of said membersfor swinging movement laterally of the carrier, means interconnecting the other of said members. and said pawl to convert said relative longitudinal movement into lateral swinging movement of said pawl so as to move said pawl laterally7 into or out` of operative engagement with saidA conveyor chain; said pawl having a lug adapted to engage one of the carrier members for limiting the movement of the paivl in the direction of engagement with the chain; and detent means coacting with said lever during the range of said further movementthereof for precluding return movement of said lever until completion of the operating stroke.

4. Actuating mechanism for an article vending machinel of the type having a frame and arrendless conveyor therein adapted to be intermittently operated for advancement` one step at a time and comprising an endless chain provided with uniformly spaced apart article engaging elements for impelling said articles to an opening in the machine forming a discharge station along the pathof travel of the chain, said actuating mechanism comprising a manually actuated operating lever adapted. to be moved through an operating stroke and return stroke; chain engaging means operablv connected to said lever and normally disposed out of engagement with the chain when said lever is disposed at its starting position, said means being constructed and arranged to move into driving engagement with the chain of the conveyor during the initial portion of the operating stroke of said lever, and upon further movement of said lever to effect movement of said chain an amount substantially equivalent to. the distance between adjacent article engaging elements for delivering one article at the discharge station, said chain engaging means including a carrier mounted for guided reciprocating movement in the. frame, adjacent the chain and comprising two members interconnected for limited l relative longitudinal movement, a link connecting one of said carrier members to the operating lever, and a chain engaging pawl pivotally mounted on one of said members for swinging movement laterally of the carrier, means interconnecting the other of said members and said pawl to convert said relative longitudinal movement into lateral swinging movement of said pawl so as to move said paWl laterally into or out of operative engagement with said conveyor chain, said pawl having a lug adapted to engage one of the carriermembers for limiting the movement of the pawl in the direction of engagement with the chain, a track adjacent said carrier adapted to cooperate with said lug for conning the pawl in chain engaging position during the movement of the carrier and conveyor incident to movement of the lever through its operating stroke and for conning the pawl out of engagement with the chain upon return movement of the carrier incident to the return stroke of movement of said lever; and detent means coacting with said lever during the range of said further movement thereof for precluding return movement of said lever until completion of the operating stroke.

5. Actuation mechanism for an article vending machine of the type having a frame and an endless conveyor therein adapted to be intermittently operated for advancement one step at .a time and comprising an endless chain provided with funiformly spaced apart article engaging elements for impelling said articles to an opening in the machine forming a discharge station along the path of travel o the. chain, said actuating mechanism comprising a manually actuated operating lever adapted to be moved through an operating stroke and return stroke; chain engaging means operably connected to said lever and normally disposed out of engagement With the chain When said lever is disposed at its starting position, said means being constructed and arranged to move into` driving engagement with the chain of the conveyor during the initial portion of the operating stroke of said lever, and upon further movement of said lever to effect movement of said chain an amount substantially equivalent to the distance between adjacent article engaging elements for delivering one article at the discharge station, said chain engaging means including a carrier mounted for guided reciprocating movement in the frame, adjacent the chain and comprising two members interconnected for limited relative longitudinal movement, a link connecting one of said carrier members to the operating lever, and a chain engaging pavvl pivotally mounted on one of said members for swinging movement laterally of the carrier, means interconnecting the other of said members and said pawl to convert said relative longitudinal movement into lateral swinging movement of said pawl so as to move saidpawl laterally into or out 13 Y of operative engagement with said conveyor chain, said pawl having a lug adapted to engage one of the carrier members for limiting the movement of the pawl in the direction of engagement with the chain, Va track adjacent said carrier adapted to cooperate with said lug for coniining the pawl in chain engaging position during the movement of the carrier and conveyor incident to movement of the Ylever through its operating stroke and for confining the pawl out of engagement with the chain upon return movement of the carrier incident to the return stroke of movement of said lever; stop means on the frame positioned to be engaged by the carrier for limiting movement thereof when said manually actuated lever is moved through its operating stroke and thereby limiting movement of the conveyor in indexed relation to the discharge station; and detent means coacting with said lever during the range of said further movement thereof for precluding return movement of said lever until completion of the operating stroke.

6. Actuating mechanism for an article vending machine of the type having a frame and an endless conveyor therein adapted to be intermittently operated for advancement one step at a time and comprising an endless chain providedwith uniformly spaced apart article engaging elements for impelling said articles to an opening in the machine forming a discharge station along the Y path of travel of the chain, said actuating mechanism comprising a manually actuated operating lever adapted to be moved through an operatingv stroke and return stroke; chain engaging means operably connected to said lever and normally disposed out of engagement with the chain when said lever is disposed at its starting position, said means being constructed and arranged to move into driving engagement with the chain of the conveyor during the initial portion of the operating stroke of said lever, and upon further movement of said lever to effect movement of said chain an amount substantially equivalent to the distance between adjacent article engaging elements for delivering one article at the discharge station, said chain engaging means includng a carrier mounted for guided reciproeating movement in the frame, adjacent the chain and comprising two members interconnected for limited relative longitudinal movement, a link connecting one of said carrier members to the operating lever, and a chain engaging pawl pivotally mounted on one of said members for swinging movement laterally of the carrier, means interconnecting the other of said members and said pawl to convert said relative longitudinal movement into lateral swinging movement of said pawl so as to move said pawl laterally into or out of operative engagement with said conveyor chain; said pawl having a lug adapted to engage one of the carrier members for limiting the movement of the pawl in the direction of engagement with the chain; means coacting with the other of said members of the carrier for releasably retaining the carrier at either of its limits ,of reciprocating movement, whereby to insuresaid relative movement of the carrier members during the initial portions of both the operating and return strokes of said lever for moving said pawl into and out of engagement respectively, with said conveyor chain; and detent means coacting with said lever dur- 14 ing the range of said further movement thereof for precluding return movement of said lever until completion of the operating stroke.

7. Actuating mechanism for an article vending machine of the type having an endless conveyer, comprising, a carrier mounted in the machine for sliding movement longitudinally along the conveyer, said carrier including two members adapted for longitudinal movement relative to one another, a pawl pivoted on one of said members for swinging movement laterally of the carrier, means interconnecting the other of said members and said pawl whereby said pawl is movable laterally into engagement with the conveyer responsive to said relative longitudinal movement of said members, said carrier being adapted, when said pawl is in engagement with the conveyer, to advance the conveyer, and means for actuating said carrier. K

8. Actuating mechanism for an article vending machine of the type having an endless conveyor adapted to be intermittently operated for advancement one step at a time, and comprising an endless chain provided with uniformly spaced apart article engaging elements for impelling said articles to an opening in the machine forming a discharge station along the path of travel of the chain, said actuating mechanism comprising a manually actuated operating lever adapted to be moved through an operating stroke and return stroke, each stroke having an initial portion and a main portion, and a carrier operably connected to said lever, said carrier being longitudinally reciprocable in a path adjacent the path of the chain in response to the strokes of said lever, said carrier including a pair of relatively longitudinally movable members, a pawl pivoted on one of said members for lateral swinging movement into and out of engagement with the chain, means interconnecting the other of said members and said pawl for causing lateral swinging of said pawl in response to said relative longitudinal movement of said members, said carrier remaining translationally stationary and said members being moved relatively to one another during the initial portion of each stroke, said pawl being moved into engagement with the chain in response to the initial portion of the operating stroke and being moved out of engagement with the chain in response to the initial portion of the return stroke, and said carrier being movable translationally during the main portion of each stroke.

CLYDE W. HALL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are oi record in the rile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,181,590 Gresham May 2, 1916 1,240,595 Perfect Sept. 18, 1917 1,600,188 McNeely Sept. 14, 1926 1,736,057 Smith Nov. 19, 1929 2,215,024 Van Tuyl Sept. l?, 1940 2,233,379 Cope Feb. 25, 1941 2,269,164 Rinehart Jan. 6 1942 2,289,807 Schaevitz et al July 14, 1942 2,363,340 Lau Nov. 21, 1944 2,389,442 Lariniore Nov. 20, 1945 

